Wire-stretcher.



, Patented Dec.27,1910. 9

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awueaucw JOHN W. IBAGGETT, OF ERIN, TENNESSEE.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. May 14, 1910.

Patented Dec. 2'7, 1910.

Serial No. 561,420.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WV. BAGGETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erin, in the county of Houston and State of Tennessee, have invented new and useful Improvements in WVire-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in wire stretchers andmore particularly to the type provided with a rotatable lever adapted to engage with a flexible wire holding element so that the rotation of the lever in one direction will exert a pull on the wire holding element, whereby the wire will be stretched.

One object of the invention is the provision of a means for locking the lever against movement in one direction during the operation of stretching the wire and after the wire has been stretched.

With the above and other objects in vieW, which will more fully hereinafter appear, the present invention consists in certain novel details of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details of the device may be made, within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of the specification ;Figure 1 is a plan view of the device. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is an end view.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

A frame bar comprises a body portion oblong in contour and rectangular in cross section and designated by the numeral 5. The body portion 5 is provided at one end with a laterally extending circular post 6, the said post 6 terminating in a portion 7 extending beyond the adjacent end of the body 5 and in a plane parallel with the latter. The portion 7 is provided at its free end with a head 8 extending in an opposite RCllIGCtlOIl to the post 6, and arranged at right angles to one face of the extension 7, the free end of the head 8 lying in a plane with the outer side of the body 5. Secured to the outer face of the head 8 is one end of a flexible chain 9, adapted to be attached to a post or other suitable support, for a purpose to be presently described. The free end portion of the body 5 terminates in a lateral extension 10, extending in the same direction as the post 6. The extension 10 is formed with a transverse opening, the axis of which is parallel with the length of the body and in alinement with the circular post 6.

The operating lever is designated by the numeral 11, and is provided adjacent to one end and on one side thereof with a staple 12, the said staple being partially driven into the lever, and loosely embracing the circular post 6. That end portion of the lever 11 adjacent to its connection with the post 6 is divided longitudinally as shown at 13, whereby prongs 14 are provided, the function of which will appear later. Extending through the opening or guide in the extension 10 is a chain 15, the link on one end of which is engageable by the prongs 14, the opposite end of said chain being attachable to a wire clamp.

In the operation of the device the chain 9 is secured to a post or other fixed support, after which the outer end of the chain 15 extending through the guide, is secured to a wire clamp, and one side of the link at the inner end of the chain 15 is passed between the prongs 14. hen the parts are so positioned pressure is applied to the end of the lever remote from the prongs whereupon the chain will be drawn through the guide. By virtue of the loose connection between the lever and post 6, that end of the lever opposite to the end provided with the prongs may be moved upwardly to clear the extension 10, when the said end of the lever is adjacent to the extension 10. After the lever has cleared the extension 10 if the wire is sufficiently stretched the lever may be lowered into engagement with the extension 10, the latter locking the lever against movement in one direction. After the wire has been sufficiently stretched by turning the lever in one direction, a pin, such as shown at 17, may be passed through the inner end of the link within the guide, whereby outward movement of the chain will be prevented, thus the wire will be held taut during the operation of securing the wire to a post, the pin also serving to prevent outward movement of the chain when the latter is detached from the lever and the lever placed in engagement with another link for the purpose of exerting a new pull.

From the foregoing, it is evident that I have provided a device which is comparatively simple in structure and inexpensive to manufacture, embodying few parts and these so arranged that the danger of derangement- Will be reduced to a minimum.

I claim In a wire stretcher, a frame bar comprising a body portion provided at one end with a lateral extension having a transverse opening, and provided at its opposite end with a post extending in the same direction the extension and in alinement with the said extension, said post terminating in a forwardly extending portion lying in a plane parallel with the body portion, the outer end of the said forwardly extending portion having a lateral head extending in a direction opposite to the post and in alinement With the latter, the said head being provided with an attaching means to engage a fixed support, a rotatable operating lever loosely fitted on the post and having at one end an engaging prong, and its opposite end portion being movable into and out of engagement with the said lateral extension, and a flexible wire pulling element passing through the opening of the first-named extension and having one end thereof adapted to be detachably secured to the prong end of the operating lever.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN W. BAGGETT.

\Vitnesses W. C. WILsON, M. M. SHELTON. 

